There are a few dream jobs that I applied for that according to the wiki are in various stages of interviews, but haven't been updated in over a month. I am assuming that I was not one of the people chosen for an interview, but is there harm in following up saying that I am still interested in the position and would like to know where they are in the search process?

There wouldn't seem to be much point in doing this. If you know that interviews are taking place, and you've heard nothing regarding the search, then you already have your answer. If you were previously contacted or phone interviewed, but then heard nothing, there might be a chance still if the top candidate declined.

I agree with SLACer. I don't see much good that can come from this if you already know there are people being interviewed…but I could imagine this having a negative outcome if you are on the long-list and the SC ends up "dipping back into the pool"

SCs get so many applications they will probably not even be able to find yours unless you made the initial long-list cut.

First - these are businesses, and we are business people and, therefore, we should have the right to know about a job disposition. I know it sounds idealistic and that it often does not happen, but Search Committees should extend courtesy to applicants by letting them know the status of the search after some period of time. When this does not happen, then I think it is the right of the applicant to send a follow-up/status update request. Sometimes I do this just on principle, even when I think they might be interviewing others - they should just have the decency to let people know.

Second, you can't assume that every candidate pool has "so many applications," and that a search committee couldn't find your application. We recently conducted a search and only had three applicants!

Third - I am unsure of long-lists - I know it can happen, but often those in the long list are there for a reason, and searches often get cancelled or extended when the favorites are no longer available.

Just some thoughts - I wouldn't pester a SC, or do so after one week or something like that, but several months later I think it is more appropriate…

Having been on a search committee during a recent cycle, the administrative requirements for notifying candidates who didn't make the cut was somewhat cumbersome. So, even if someone emailed me, I could do nothing but basically state that the search was ongoing and we'd contact finalists as decisions were made. I don't know how informative contacting a SC will be. If it were me, I'd sit back and wait. Besides, not much will happen at this juncture. Things will pick back up quickly in mid-January.